Who are we?

Seyhan İbrahim Yıldırım is the Founder and Chairman of the Board of Papel, one of Turkey’s leading fintech companies. Born in 1980, Yıldırım began his education at Türk Maarif College in Northern Cyprus, where he graduated with high honors. His passion for education led him to London, where he studied Sociology, Business, Accounting, and Turkish at Orpington College.

 

He later focused on Law and Business Studies at Kingston University, earning an LLB with honors. This academic foundation provided him with significant advantages in his professional career, enabling him to develop a deep understanding of law, business, and finance.

 

Yıldırım started his career by establishing Göktuğ and Yıldırım Law Firm in Northern Cyprus. He quickly expanded his expertise by founding Seyhan Yıldırım and Partners Law Firm, specializing in banking, compliance, and taxation. In 2010, he also ventured into the construction sector, where he continues to hold a senior partnership.

 

He has served as the founder and manager of numerous companies in the construction, tourism, and finance sectors. Yıldırım is also one of the co-founders of Excalibur Holding Ltd., based in Dubai, and has extended his financial investments to Azerbaijan.

 

In 2022, Yıldırım took a significant step by founding Ptech, a company offering banking and software solutions for electronic money institutions. In 2020, he established Papel Elektronik Para ve Ödeme Hizmetleri A.Ş. and initiated the process to obtain a license from the Central Bank of Turkey to provide electronic money services. As a result of these efforts, Papel received its license and began operations in 2022. These two companies together employ over 150 people in Turkey.

 

Seyhan İbrahim Yıldırım is also a co-founder of the Community Volunteers organization, which focuses on combating poverty and supporting disadvantaged individuals. Additionally, he has played an active role in drafting various legal regulations in Northern Cyprus, making significant contributions in the legal and political fields.

 

 

Avşar Dirgin is a results-oriented professional with over 24 years of experience in the fintech and payment systems industry, where he has demonstrated exceptional leadership. Specializing in digital transformation, business development, and ecosystem creation throughout his career, Dirgin has successfully managed strategy development, team building, IT and network infrastructure design, and regulatory approval processes for two different payment systems. As a founding member of Turkey’s first payment services association, ÖDED, he possesses deep knowledge of banking and payment systems regulations and has extensive experience in effective communication within this domain.

Most recently, Dirgin served as the General Manager and a Board Member of Rubikpara Elektronik Para A.Ş., where he made a significant impact in the electronic money sector with innovative solutions. Previously, he held senior executive positions at pioneering fintech companies such as Aypara and Figopara, bringing projects like digital wallets, mobile financial services, and supply chain financing to life. With profound expertise in technology and business process integration, Dirgin is fluent in English and German and continues to be a leader who creates value in the industry.

Ahmet Serkan Öksüz is an experienced attorney with extensive knowledge in law and financial services. After graduating from Ankara University Faculty of Law, he pursued further education at Anadolu University Faculty of Economics, embarking on a career that merges legal and economic perspectives. Currently, he serves as a lawyer at LBF Partners and contributes to strategic decision-making as a Board Member of Papel Elektronik Para ve Ödeme Hizmetleri A.Ş.

 

With experience gained from working at various law firms, Öksüz has developed the ability to provide solutions to a wide range of legal issues. Notably, he has distinguished himself through his legal consultancy roles in the payment services and electronic money sectors. Through advanced education at prestigious institutions such as Harvard Law School, he has cultivated expertise at an international level. His commitment to legal excellence and leadership continues to set him apart in the industry.

Ahmet Avar is a seasoned professional with over 20 years of experience in the finance sector, distinguished by his strategic thinking and leadership skills. He began his career as Deputy General Manager at Kuzey Kıbrıs Turkcell, where he played a key role in developing and implementing financial strategies for many years. He later served as Finance Director at Turkcell Istanbul, successfully managing the financial operations of large-scale projects. Most recently, from 2020 to 2022, he returned to Kuzey Kıbrıs Turkcell as Deputy General Manager, making significant contributions to enhancing the company’s financial performance.

 

Academically, Avar graduated from the Business Administration program at Eastern Mediterranean University and furthered his financial expertise with a master’s degree in Banking from the International Cyprus University. His areas of expertise include budget management, financial analysis, and strategic planning. With his effective leadership and collaboration skills, Avar has consistently driven sustainable growth and operational excellence in the organizations he has worked with.

Ercüment Demir is a seasoned professional with over 17 years of experience in the card payment systems industry, specializing in fraud prevention and risk management. He began his career at Bileşim AŞ Fraud Investigation Unit, where he worked on detecting and preventing fraud attempts related to cards, POS systems, and internet banking for banks such as Ziraat Bank, Halkbank, Halkbank Macedonia, and Ziraat Bosnia. He also played key roles in Visa-Mastercard operations for Ziraat Bank and Halkbank.

At PayU, one of Turkey's first payment startups, Demir held various leadership roles, including Risk Operations Manager, Compliance Manager, Country Risk Manager, and finally Regional Manager for the EMEA Fraud Team. Following his six-year tenure at PayU, he served as the Risk and Fraud Manager at İninal for one year, where he successfully managed the transition to a corporate risk management system.

During his six-year career at PayTR, Demir initially worked as Head of Risk Management for three years. He then served as the Chief Operating Officer (COO) for another three years, implementing strategic projects to enhance the company’s operational efficiency.

Enes Aşık is a seasoned professional with over 17 years of experience in internal audit, compliance, and control processes. After graduating from the Industrial Engineering program at Marmara University, he deepened his academic knowledge by completing an MBA at Maltepe University. Holding Capital Markets Activities Level 3 and Derivatives licenses, Aşık began his career at Akbank, where he specialized in internal auditing for over a decade. He then successfully led key projects as Internal Control and Compliance Manager at Aköde for six years. Currently, he serves as the Internal Audit Director at Papel, where he takes on strategic responsibilities to strengthen the organization’s audit mechanisms.

 

His expertise includes regulatory compliance, optimizing audit processes, and risk management. Fluent in English, Aşık combines his analytical mindset with a solution-oriented approach, enabling him to build strong relationships with regulatory authorities and streamline internal processes within organizations. Thanks to his professional experience and competencies, he continues to be a reliable leader and strategic partner for financial institutions.

Aynur Ortaç is a seasoned professional with over 10 years of experience in legal and compliance fields and is a member of the Istanbul Bar Association. She graduated with a full scholarship from Yeditepe University Faculty of Law and pursued a master’s degree in IT Law at Bilgi University. She began her career as a compliance specialist in leading financial institutions such as Akbank and Yapı Kredi Bank. Subsequently, she held significant roles as Compliance Manager at prominent payment and electronic money institutions, including PayU Turkey, iyzico, and Aköde. She specializes in the implementation of regulations such as AML (Anti-Money Laundering), KYC, GDPR, and FATCA, ensuring regulatory compliance.

Aynur Ortaç has effectively collaborated with global compliance teams and established strong communication with local regulatory authorities such as MASAK (Financial Crimes Investigation Board), KVKK (Personal Data Protection Authority), and the Central Bank of Turkey. She has extensive experience in developing policies and procedures, preparing audit reports, and advising board members. Currently serving as a member of the TÖDEB Compliance Committee, Aynur Ortaç continues to contribute to the sector by leading both local and international compliance projects.

Şaban Yıldız is a seasoned professional with over 15 years of experience in internal control, risk management, and compliance processes. A graduate of Sakarya University’s Business Administration program, Yıldız began his career at HSBC Bank A.Ş. and later held various roles at leading organizations such as Türk Telekom and Fibabanka. Currently, he serves as the Internal Control Manager at Papel Elektronik Para ve Ödeme Hizmetleri A.Ş., where he takes on strategic responsibilities to enhance operational efficiency, minimize risks, and ensure regulatory compliance.

 

His expertise spans critical areas such as fraud prevention, the development of internal control systems, payment systems processes, and regulatory compliance. Known for his strong analytical skills and detail-oriented approach, Yıldız has made a significant impact in the sector. With ongoing training in areas such as AML (Anti-Money Laundering), fraud prevention, and information security, he continuously enhances his skill set. Yıldız is committed to fostering operational excellence and creating a reliable working environment within organizations.